[lizardlady]

Don't have anything new to report. Still treating the horse's eye. Work last week was c-r-a-z-y. I hurt all over and beyond exhausted. On top of that I'm tired of listening to myself complain.

[Bubbles&Buttercup]

January - Can it be positive for no reason? I'm used to knowing quite a bit about my health problems but I know nothing about this!

Cake - I probably don't even have it and I'm already freaking out. The rheumy seemed to know what he was talking about and he's the only one nearby so I'm guessing he'd be treating someone with lupus.
He told me to take plaquenil for three months then have another blood test and then I go back to see him. And he did say to stay away from the sun.

[January]

Bubbles, I don't know if it can be positive for no reason. I take plaquinil. It's a slow acting medicine, but it really does help with the pain if you give it time, like about four months or more. I take it for Sjogrens Disease, not the fibro. Sjogrens makes you hurt all over, too, and that, in addition to the fibro creates some pain.

I just don't know about the lupus and positive ANA for no reason... I'm sorry, I wish I knew something helpful.

[sabby]

Hey Everyone!

I'm sorry I haven't been around for quite a bit. Real life get's crazy sometimes and between that and being an admin here, I haven't had a lot of time or energy to check in here. I do apologize. I can tell you though that you have all been on my mind and in my thoughts and prayers.

Pain wise has been okay for the past few weeks, although I haven't had much time to think about it or give into it so maybe that's skewing my perception a bit. Weather has been fairly stable so that's been a help.

I've been spending a lot of time carting my daughter and grandchildren around and babysitting when she needs to get to her appointments. That takes a lot out of me. The good news is that she finally was able to get a loan and buy a car for herself! At least now my travels will lessen and become more manageable (I hope).

I feel badly as my roommate has been dealing with some difficult health issues and she's got to go for a number of tests and possibly consider surgery for a couple of different things. It breaks my heart to see her going through all this and it's a stressor for both of us. But, we will make it through as we always do!

My depression has been a bit more active over the past 5-6 months now. I'm wanting to close myself off from life and people. I'm fighting it tooth and nail but I do allow myself a day or two here or there to just "veg".

Other than that, it is what it is. I wish for all of you less pain, happy times and to know that you are all thought of and cared about!

[cakeladie]

Hi guys

Liz is good to she see you pop in I have been worried about you

Sabby hopefully you can get some rest now and I am so glad you stopped by

Jan and bubbles. You can have a positive ANA and it not be anything like I said mine goes from positive to negative back to positive. Having said that I know someone that has never had a positive ANA but does have lupus. It's one of the reasons lupus is so hard to dx.

Plaquenil is usually the first med they put you on when treating lupus but it can take up to 6 months to get in your system. Also if taking it I would not smoke if you are a smoker. It's harder on your skin.

But like I said in my earlier post there are so many different AI's out there that mimic lupus I would not worry just yet. And please do not google anything. Dr. Google lost his medical license. I have dealt with lupus and AI's for 20 years.

Try not to freak out it will only make it worse. Try and relax.

[January]

Dr. Google lost his medical license.

Boy, isn't that the truth!

Sabby, it's so good to hear from you! You are loved and missed.

I had two teeth removed today. The Sjogrens has damaged my teeth and I am on the road to having dentures. I am sitting here trying not to get sick on the gauze. This too, shall pass, this too, shall pass. Pray, send good thoughts or whatever you do, for me, if you will. I have a rough few months ahead of me.

Love you all!

[cakeladie]

We are there for you Jan take it easy.

[Bubbles&Buttercup]

Cake - Well I'm glad I conveniently stopped smoking three days before I started it.
Haven't had a cigarette for 5 days, so I could still fail, but knowing that should help!

[cakeladie]

I have a friend who did not know about what smoking does while on Plaquenil and she stopped smoking and her face got a lot better and another lupus friend told us about smoking and Plaquenil really don't mix. It's surprising what the doctors don't tell you about your meds. I learned that lesson the hard way. But on the flip side you can drive yourself nuts looking up everything.

If you start having stomach issues then take it with food. But you should get your eyes checked. I hope the doctor told you that

[Kiya]

Hugs to everyone! And a special HI to Sabby
Thinking of you all even as I have to save data and can't be in PC as often.
Learned from a week of frozen dinners that that super increases my pain. no more of those! Must eat well to be well. Must try harder.

[January]

Yes, eat with your plaquenil! I probably didn't spell it right again! Sometimes I just have a piece of toast and some milk. That works just fine.

Oh Kiya, we miss you.

[cakeladie]

We miss you Kiya and Liz and Christina

[Bubbles&Buttercup]

Cake - I've been taking them with food to be safe.
He said to get them checked every year, I just don't know if I should have them checked now so there's a baseline or not? I'll ask my GP.

[~Christina]

Hiya !

I am currently in heavy denial about my pain and my Bipolar stability! Sometimes I have been able to avoid a huge messy crash this way

Gentle hugs everyone

[cakeladie]

Bubbles get your eyes checked now if possible for a baseline. Plaquenil can mess with your eyes and after 13 years of being on it, it did just that to my eyes so I had to go off of it.

So get them checked and once it's in your system if you notice anything with your eyes contact your doctor ASAP.

Now Christina. You have had it hard lately and I am very sorry but ignoring your issues will not make them go away. Take it one day at a time. I have another friend with lupus who at least once a month believes the doctors have made a mistake and she does not have lupus. She has been doing this for years. It drives me nuts. But I still love and care for her just like you.

Now momma bear is going to let it drop for now. I don't have bipolar but I do have several AI's and a son with autism and mild retardation.

I can just tell you guys that if you need to vent then vent it's not whining it's good for you to get it off your chest.

Take care everyone. Bubbles if you have questions regardless if it's lupus or another AI just ask. I will be has honest has I can be. Unfortunately I have way to much experience with this.

[Bubbles&Buttercup]

Cake - got my results back and apparently I probably don't have lupus. But that's all I know. Not a definite and no comment on what else it could be, so for now I just take the plaquenil and have blood done again in three months and see how it is then.
Will look into whether I can get the eye check now.

I got a referral to a pain management program. I know it seems like a good thing but now that I've actually called them about it I'm panicking.

If I do get in it won't be for a while, but it's a three week residential program with physical therapists and psychologists and everything..lots of physical stuff.

[Bubbles&Buttercup]

Christina - I keep convincing myself that I have my BPD under control and that the pain isn't too bad and I could go back to work...then I remember that my BPD isn't as bad because I'm not working or around people and the pain and fatigue isn't as bad because I'm not working!

Cake- Thanks heaps by the way! I'm sorry you've had to deal with it all, from the little I know it sounds effing terrible.

[lizardlady]

Originally Posted by cakeladie

We miss you Kiya and Liz and Christina

I'm here Cake. I pretty much just lurk lately. Between exhaustion from taking care of the horse and pain my mind set sucks. I'm afraid I'll blast someone. In addition I'm sick of hearing myself whine.

[sabby]

Gentle hugs to everyone!

Body was feeling pretty good the past couple of weeks. The weather was quite stable, that is, up until today

Rain and wind have moved in and my body is absolutely screaming. When I got up this morning I was almost in tears it hurt so much. Even my hair hurt.

We need the rain badly but good gosh, does it always have to be at my painful expense?? Luckily I don't have to do too much today so I can take care of myself. Just have a relatively quick appointment to go to this afternoon then I can come back and maybe sit in my recliner and take a snooze.

ugggghhhhh

[~Christina]

Denial is actually an acceptable way to cope to be honest, it is a coping skill I have learned through years now of Therapy.

I can often get hyper focused on my problems and walk myself into corners. By actually ignoring them and going about my day to day helps me put things in perspective.

I think that is why even when I am in a really yucky place I can still come to PC and offer support, it gets me out of my own head.

Gentle hugs everyone

[cakeladie]

Rough day for me. Not feeling well and I just found out one of my lupus friends has died. It makes you think am I next. She was just a little older then me my heart is breaking

[Kiya]

Originally Posted by cakeladie

Rough day for me. Not feeling well and I just found out one of my lupus friends has died. It makes you think am I next. She was just a little older then me my heart is breaking

Oh my goodness, Cake!!! ((((((((((((((((((((HUGS!!!!!!!!))))))))))))))))))))))
keeping you close in my thoughts

[cakeladie]

She was about 10 years older then me but I have been sicker then her so I can't help but think am I next. Lupus has hit just about every organ I have then I have the fibro RA pulmonary fibrous etc. I am only 45 I just want to curl up in a ball

[Bubbles&Buttercup]

Falling into a giant pit of depression and despair. Sorry if I disappear for a while or turn into an awful morbid person.
Just trying to not let it swallow me.

[sabby]

Gentle hugs and healing thoughts to everyone!

I'm sorry for what ya'll are going through right now. Luckily, the weather has changed for the better and I'm not in as much pain today as I was yesterday. Gosh it was ruffffff yesterday, but I survived no matter how much I whined.

It was good to get out to the appointment with my roomy yesterday as it took the focus off the pain for awhile. Appointment went well, so all was good. I didn't feel like cooking supper last night so we decided on sandwiches from Dunkin' Donuts. We had a couple of Dunkin's cards with money left on them so it didn't cost us but $1.74 out of pocket.

Didn't have the energy to get online last night so I went to bed and watched a bit of tv and fell asleep before midnight. Highly unusual for me, but I guess I needed it.

Wishing you all a brighter day today and sending my love!